Women's Rowing

Five Shorewomen Named to ECAC NIRC Stewards' All Academic Team

Jun 19, 2013

CENTERVILLE, MA -- Five members of the Washington College women's rowing team have been named to the ECAC National Invitational Rowing Championships Stewards' All Academic Team.

Rachel Benders (Cleveland Heights, OH/Beaumont School), a team captain who graduated from the College last month, headed up the list of the Shorewomen's honorees. She was joined by rising seniors Emily Sahadeo (College Park, MD/Elizabeth Seton) and Abigail Thomas (Hughesville, MD/Thomas Stone) and rising juniors Kelly Bird (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) and Taira Sullivan (Stevensville, MD/Kent Island).

All five of the Shorewomen's honorees competed at the ECAC National Invitational Rowing Championships last month. Benders, Bird, and Sullivan rowed in the Shorewomen's first varsity eight, which finished ninth of 21 boats overall. Thomas was the coxswain and Sahadeo a rower in the Shorewomen's second varsity eight, which placed 15th of 17.

The Shorewomen, champions of the Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference, went on to compete in the NCAA Division III Championships, finishing sixth. They ended the year with a national ranking of fifth in Division III, their best-ever end-of-season ranking.